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Perplexity MCP server

The Perplexity MCP server gives AI agents Perplexity's web search, quick answers with citations, step-by-step reasoning and long research runs, all billed to a Perplexity API account.

By Perplexity Official · Updated

Connect Perplexity

Claude Code, remote server (sign in through /mcp)

Terminal
claude mcp add --transport http perplexity https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp

Claude Code, remote server with an API key

Terminal
claude mcp add --transport http perplexity https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Codex, local server

Terminal
codex mcp add perplexity --env PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="your_key_here" -- npx -y @perplexity-ai/mcp-server

Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, Kiro or VS Code, local server

Config
{"mcpServers": {"perplexity": {"command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@perplexity-ai/mcp-server"], "env": {"PERPLEXITY_API_KEY": "your_key_here"}}}}

With OAuth, the first call opens a browser where you sign in to Perplexity and choose which API organization pays. In Claude.ai, add https://api.perplexity.ai/mcp as a custom connector. Strict clients that fail on startup can use npx -yq instead of npx -y.

What the Perplexity MCP server does

The Perplexity MCP server connects an AI agent to the Perplexity API Platform. It adds four tools that differ in depth. The search tool returns ranked web results with metadata from the Search API, with filters for recency and domains. The ask tool answers a question in a conversational way using live web search, which suits quick lookups.

The other two tools take longer. The reason tool works through an analytical problem step by step, and the research tool runs a deep, multi-step investigation that can last minutes and returns a detailed report; the server streams progress to clients that ask for it. Current versions run these tools on Perplexity's Agent API presets, which Perplexity tunes over time, instead of the older Sonar model names.

Perplexity hosts the server at api.perplexity.ai/mcp, reached by OAuth sign-in or an API key, and publishes the same code on npm to run locally or in Docker. The GitHub repo had 2,549 stars on 2026-10-01. It is also packaged as a Claude Code plugin and an Agent Plugin.

Tools it gives your agent

  • perplexity_search
  • perplexity_ask
  • perplexity_reason
  • perplexity_research

When to use Perplexity

  • You want an agent to get a cited answer from the web in one call, not a list of links.
  • You need a long research report on a topic and can wait a few minutes for it.
  • You want plain ranked search results filtered to recent pages or chosen domains.
  • Your team already pays for the Perplexity API and wants it inside its editor.

When to pick something else

  • Free use: there is no free allowance on the API pricing page, so every search and answer is billed, and research runs can cost more than a simple search.

What Perplexity needs

  • A Perplexity API account (OAuth sign-in) or API key from the Perplexity console
  • Node.js, only when running the server locally

What the Perplexity MCP server costs

The server is free and open source under MIT, but every call is billed to your Perplexity API account, which has no free tier.

Current prices: docs.perplexity.ai . We do not list prices: vendors change them often, so check the publisher's own page.

Questions people ask

Is the Perplexity MCP server free?

The server code is free, but calls are not: they are billed to the Perplexity API, per request for search and per token for answers and research (pricing docs, 2026-10-01). A Perplexity Pro chat subscription is a separate product.

Which Perplexity MCP tool should an agent use?

perplexity_search for raw results, perplexity_ask for a quick cited answer, perplexity_reason for analysis, and perplexity_research for a long report that can take minutes.

Does it work in Codex and Cursor?

Yes. Perplexity's README gives a codex mcp add command and a Cursor one-click install, plus config for Claude Desktop, Windsurf, Kiro and VS Code.

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